… Why he wore Portugal’s No. 21 jersey

Cristiano Ronaldo led Portugal to an impressive late comeback, defeating Croatia 2-1 to secure their place in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup.
Beyond being a crucial match to keep Portugal‘s hopes alive of winning their first title, the game carried extra significance, coming just a day before the one-year anniversary of Diogo Jota’s passing.
That’s why, after securing the win in stoppage time, Portugal’s players made their way to their fans to celebrate the victory, with Ronaldo putting on the No. 21 jersey in honor of his former national team teammate.
The comeback was set up by a milestone Ronaldo had been chasing for nearly two decades. With Portugal trailing 1-0 in the se...